06.03.19 Chhattisgarh (CGPCS) Current Affairs

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CHHATTISGARH

Chhattisgarh
has highest percentage of women in assembly

Among the state assemblies across the
country, Chhattisgarh has the highest percentage of women MLAs.
Besides, Chhattisgarh also stands at second position among top five states with
the ‘highest percentage of women candidates’ for state assembly elections. This
is according to a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Among the state assemblies, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand
and West Bengal have the highest percentage of women MLAs.
Chhattisgarh and Haryana top the list with 14.44 per cent women representation
in their respective state assemblies, while West Bengal is on second position
with 13.99 per cent.

INTERNATIONAL

·
Cricket to be
included in 2022 Asian Games

Cricket is included in the sports programme for the 2022 Asian
Games to be held in Hangzhou, China.

The decision was reportedly taken at the Olympic
Council of Asia’s (OCA) General Assembly.

Cricket was omitted from
the 2018 Asian
Games in Indonesia after featuring in 2010 and 2014.

In India’s absence, Sri Lanka – among men – and
Pakistan — among women – had clinched the gold in 2014. In 2010, Bangladesh
clinched the men’s title, and Pakistan the women’s title.

·
Global Consumer
Confidence Survey topped by India

India ranked first in the Confidence Board Global Consumer
Confidence Survey which was conducted in collaboration with a global
performance management company Nielsen Holdings.

India maintained its 1st position from 3rd
quarter and in the 4th quarter of 2018 India’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI)
score is 133.

South Korea has the most pessimistic consumer who
are worried about rising inflation, lower wage growth, unemployment, a weak
stock market and global trade uncertainties in the world.

CCI Confidence Board measured optimism towards
job prospects, the health of personal finances and spending intentions in the
next 12 months for the survey.

NATIONAL

·
Indian Railways
celebrate Golden Jubilee of first Rajdhani Express

The first Rajdhani Express of the Indian Railways
network has completed 50 years on March 3, 2019.

Kolkata’s Howrah Rajdhani Express was
the first Rajdhani Express train and the very first fully air-conditioned train
introduced by the Indian Railways.

The Kolkata-New Delhi Rajdhani Express embarked
on its maiden journey on March 3, 1969 from Howrah,
making it the country’s first fully-air conditioned, high-speed train that
covered the 1,450 km stretch in 17 hours and 20 minutes.

The Rajdhani Express is a series of express
passenger train services in India operated by Indian Railways connecting the
national capital New Delhi with the capital and/or largest cities of
various states.

Rajdhanis are among the fastest trains in India
along with Tejas Express, Gatimaan Express, Shatabdi Express and Duronto
Express and get the highest priority on the Indian railway network.

·
Home Minister
Rajnath Singh inaugurates BOLD-QIT project in Assam

Border Security Force, BSF is responsible for the
safeguarding of over four thousand kilometres long International Border with
Bangladesh.

At various places, it is not possible to erect
Border Fence due to the geographical barriers.

The 61 kilometres of the Border area in Dhubri
District, where River Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh is consisting of vast
char lands and innumerable river channels thus making border guarding in this
area, a daunting task especially during rainy season.

To overcome this problem, in the year 2017, the
Ministry of Home Affairs decided to go for a technological solution besides the
physical presence of manpower of BSF.

India’s e-waste to touch 5.2 MMT by 2020: ASSOCHAM-EY study

India’s production of e-waste is likely to increase
by 5.2 MMT per annum by 2020 from 2 MMT in 2016 due to buoyant economic
growth and changing consumption patterns, according to ASSOCHAM-EY joint study.

The factors that led to a growth of e-waste are
digital transformation, Social and economic growth, rapid technology advances,
dumping trash etc. The dumping used and waste EEE (electrical and electronic
equipment) into developing or underdeveloped countries by the developed
countries.

India is among the top five e-waste generating
countries in the world besides China, the US, Japan and Germany. Among states,
Maharashtra contributes the largest e-waste of 19.8% but recycles only about
47,810 tonne per annum (TPA). Tamil Nadu with e-waste contribution of 13%
recycled about 52,427 TPA; Uttar Pradesh (10.1%) recycles about 86,130 TPA;
West Bengal (9.8%), Delhi (9.5%), Karnataka (8.9%), Gujarat (8.8%)
and Madhya Pradesh 7.6%, as per the joint report .

According to ASSOCHAM-EY joint report, 44.7 MMT
of e-waste was generated worldwide in 2016 and it is expected to grow at a rate
of 3.15% (CAGR). Following the current growth rate of rising e–waste, it is
estimated that by 2021, e–waste will rise to 52.2 MMT.

E-waste is hazardous due to the presence of many
deadly chemicals and metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, polyvinyl
chlorides (PVC), brominated flame retardants, beryllium, antimony and
phthalates. Longterm exposure to these substances damages the nervous systems,
kidney, bones, reproductive and endocrine systems.

E-waste (Management) Amended Rules 2018 makes
producers liable to collect 10% to 70% (over seven years) of the e-waste they
produce but industry is unable to cope up with these targets. Around 70% of
e-waste is generated by private households, majority of which is collected and
managed by the unorganized sector.

Recognizing that e-waste must be managed using a
lifecycle approach, a set of policies and standards should be developed so as
to address the product design to decrease the inherent challenges from the
outset like electronic product environmental assessment tool (EPEAT), the
United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)Design for Environment (DfE) approach and the European Eco-Design Directive.